Background

ASEAN Economic Community has prevailed at the end of 2015. Regar di ng t hi s i ssue, i t has some consequences. One of them is the open flow of products, services, and human resources across ASEAN countries. In addition, ASEAN members can freely sell their industrial products. In other words, this policy can increase the degree of products competition among those countries. Service industry will take part in all ASEAN countri es without boundaries. Another consequence is there are many employment opportunities among ASEAN countries. However, when one side can enlarge employment opportunities, it can threaten less skilled human resources position in a particular country .

To confront the invasion of foreign workers from several countri es, it is necessary to put up candidates who have qualified manpower that can be accepted in other countries. In that case, it is necessary for educational institutions at national, regional, and international level to have assured quality . Also, based on the demands of the regional labor qualification, it is expected that vocational education graduates can implement quality assurance in accordance with the framework of regional labor qualification.

Vocational education aims to produce skilled human resources to meet the demands. Economy growth in a country depends on the growth of the industry. Growth industries require skilled employees that graduate from vocational education. Thus, economic growth, industrial growth and skilled labor fulfillment have mutual support.

The number of human resources that are needed are not only limited to the formal sector but also the informal sector and rural small industries. They mostly graduate from non-formal education and formal education. There are many small industries and informal enterprises in the ASEAN countries. The successful fulillment of skilled human resources is highly dependent on vocational education. Reputable vocati onal educati on certainly is supported by professional teachers. Based on this fact, the strengthening of vocational teacher education institutions is considered urgent since at this time vocational teacher education institutions have not set up teachers according to expertise program in vocational education.